Just the thoughts of a teacher and a reader

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Read in 2012!

Our best ideas can come at the strangest times. My most recent one hit me when I was in the shower earlier this week. And it was all about a bulletin board.

I have made a personal goal this year to read 50 books. I am using Good Reads to help me keep track. I have also told my students about it. They tell me I am crazy for going for that much and think the number is huge. But I told them I will do it. Each time I finish a book (currently at five!) I share that with them

I wanted to encourage my students to realize how much they read and brag about how much they read. Then I had an idea for the new board…Read in 2012! Students and I would write the titles and authors of the books we read this year and post them on the board. My mom suggested having the students write a quick review (of course!) and an idea was born.

I put the board up on Tuesday with the cards for three of the four books I had had read by that point. I saved my most recent card to use as an example. I couldn’t wait to tell the plan to my students but I was also wondering how they would respond. Luckily, I knew a few students in each class that have already finished reading a book this year because of SSR or what they had told me.

I explained the idea to my third hour, and the first reaction was kind of silent. I called on a few students who I knew had finished a book and gave them a card. Slowly, more students started to raise their hands and ask for note cards too. I Googled some author for students who could not remember the names. I added those cards to the board, hopeful what the next class would bring.

Fourth hour had a lot of interest, too. More cards pass out, and more cards stapled for all the world to see. Fifth hour also had a huge response! I had a few students needing more than one card to fill out all the titles they have read so far this year. I was ecstatic over how many cards I already had after that first day! In this picture, only three of them are mine!

A few more students have asked for cards as the week has gone on. Other students have told me how they are almost done and can’t wait to put a card up. I will remember to ask at least once a week for more titles to add. I told my students that even if they are not in my class next trimester to feel free to come in and add to the board. My goal is that this board will have LAYERS of cards when I have to take it down come June.

The responses students shared are great. Here are just a few from this week:

I will keep this updated about the progress my students and I make throughout the school year.